1. The carbon footprint of waste - How local waste strategies can cut emissions

The report reveals that preventing and reusing waste—especially textiles, plastics, and food—offers far greater climate benefits than traditional recycling or energy recovery. It highlights how local and regional authorities can act decisively to cut emissions by rethinking waste not just as a disposal issue, but as a key climate lever within a circular economy approach.

Link: https://www.acrplus.org/en/news/carbon-footprint-waste-4952

2. Quantified actions to prevent household food waste

Published on the International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction, the report "Quantified actions to prevent household food waste" aims to present practices and strategies for which food waste reduction was monitored and documented, and to suggest recommendations on how local and regional authorities can promote household food waste reduction practices.

Link: https://www.acrplus.org/en/news/quantified-actions-to-prevent-household-food-waste-3537

3. Recommendations and Good Practices for Local Used Textile Management

European regulations on used textiles are evolving fast: the Waste Framework Directive sets a sorting obligation in 2025, and the European Union’s Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles provides for the implementation of various instruments, including an Extended Producer Responsibility system, to accompany this obligation. Added to the important environmental impact of textile products, it is urgent to rethink the end of life of textiles but also the prevention of this waste. For thos wondering where to start to finally close the textile loop, ACR+ brings detailed insights on the situation.

The report Recommendations and Good Practices for Local Used Textile Management offers a detailed analysis and benchmark of current European practices, tips and recommendations on how to manage textile waste, and overall guidance for public authorities to get prepared for the upcoming obligation.

Link: https://www.acrplus.org/en/news/recommendations-and-good-practices-for-local-used-textile-management-4066

4. Deposit Refund Systems in the EU - 2023 Update

While deposit systems enhance collection and recycling rates, they may not inherently align with waste hierarchy principles, often favoring recycling over reuse. The report notes that a limited number of deposit systems include reusable packaging in their policies, emphasising a need for a more holistic approach to packaging solutions. Additionally, deposit systems promote recyclable products and purer recyclate but do not guarantee packaging circularity.

Link: https://www.acrplus.org/en/news/deposit-refund-systems-in-the-eu-2023-update-4174

5. When every bag counts: pay-as-you-throw schemes in large European cities (executive summary)

In densely populated urban areas, where space is limited and lifestyles are diverse, designing equitable and efficient waste systems is no simple task. The new ACR+ report When every bag counts: PAYT schemes for large European cities examines how Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) systems can be successfully applied in large cities while remaining fair and accessible to all residents.

The study focuses on four major European cities – Ghent, Liège, Maastricht, and Bergamo – each facing complex urban realities such as high-rise housing, transient populations, and strong social diversity. It investigates how PAYT schemes can encourage better sorting and reduce residual waste, while also engaging disadvantaged households through well-designed social provisions.

Link: https://www.acrplus.org/en/news/when-every-bag-counts-pay-as-you-throw-schemes-in-large-european-cities-5169